Yucca Valley middle school teacher arrested on suspicion of child porn possession
A Yucca Valley teacher was arrested on Monday on suspicion of possessing child pornography, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced.
Joseph Anthony Borges III, 48, of Yucca Valley was arrested on Monday.
The arrest came about after authorities received a CyberTip on Nov. 7 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning child sexual abuse material.
During the investigation, detectives from the Crimes Against Children Detail and Morongo Basin Station identified Borges, a teacher at La Contenta Middle School, as the suspect.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Borges was arrested and booked at the Morongo Basin Jail in Joshua Tree for violation of PC 311.11(a) Possession of Child Pornography, in lieu of $40,000 bail.
He was released on bail on Tuesday, according to jail records.
According to the Morongo Unified School District, Borges was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
"The allegations against Mr. Borges are deeply troubling and go against the values and principles we hold dear in our school district,” said MUSD Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Alexander Stumbo of the Specialized Investigations Division - Crimes Against Children Detail, at (909) 890-4904.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
Morongo Unified School District statement on teacher's arrest:
URGENT MESSAGE: The Morongo Unified School District was informed that Joseph Borges, a teacher at La Contenta Middle School, was arrested for possession of child pornography. Upon learning of the arrest, The Morongo Unified School District took immediate action to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Borges was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The district has a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that puts the well-being of our students at risk. The safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities as they conduct their investigation.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Investigation is ongoing and they are not releasing any additional information on the events leading to Borges’ arrest at this time. We do not know if any students at LCMS were directly affected by Borge’s actions. However, we know that news of his arrest will impact our entire community and counseling services will be made available to students when they return from Thanksgiving break.
"The allegations against Mr. Borges are deeply troubling and go against the values and principles we hold dear in our school district,” said MUSD Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas.
“We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all students in our schools and we will continue to take all necessary steps to address this situation and support our community during this challenging time."
The district remains committed to transparency and will provide updates as they become available while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of the ongoing investigation. The district encourages anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
